der  Kardinal

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/kaʁdiˈnaːl/

⛪🐦 What does "der Kardinal" mean?

The German word der Kardinal primarily has two meanings:

1. Church Dignitary: The most common meaning refers to a high-ranking cleric in the Roman Catholic Church. Kardinäle are the highest-ranking clergy after the Pope and, among other duties, are responsible for electing the new Pope. They typically wear red vestments.
2. Bird Species: Less commonly, der Kardinal (also called Rotkardinal) refers to a species of bird (Cardinalis cardinalis), primarily found in North America, known for the male's bright red plumage.

⚠️ Both meanings use the article der because they refer to male entities (either a man or a male bird/grammatically masculine noun).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of Kardinal in Detail

Der Kardinal is a masculine noun. The declension varies slightly depending on the meaning, particularly in the plural.

Meaning 1: Church Dignitary

It follows strong declension in the singular and weak (n-declension) in the plural.

Meaning 2: Bird Species

This follows the standard pattern for strong masculine nouns in both singular and plural.

Example Sentences

• Meaning 1: Der Kardinal reiste nach Rom zum Konklave. (The cardinal traveled to Rome for the conclave.)
• Meaning 1: Die Ernennung neuer Kardinäle wurde bekannt gegeben. (The appointment of new cardinals was announced.)
• Meaning 2: Im Wintergarten saß ein leuchtend roter Kardinal auf dem Futterhäuschen. (In the conservatory, a bright red cardinal sat on the bird feeder.)
• Meaning 2: Die Kardinäle sind in vielen Teilen der USA heimisch. (Cardinals are native to many parts of the USA.)

🎯 Usage and Context

The use of der Kardinal depends heavily on the context:

• Ecclesiastical Context: Here, it exclusively refers to the church dignitary. One speaks of Kardinäle in connection with the Vatican, papal elections (Konklave), dioceses, and church ceremonies. Example: "Der Kölner Erzbischof wurde zum Kardinal ernannt." (The Archbishop of Cologne was appointed cardinal.)
• Zoological/Nature Context: When discussing birds, especially in North America, der Kardinal (or Rotkardinal) might be intended. This usage is less common in everyday German. Example: "Hast du den schönen Kardinal im Baum gesehen?" (Did you see the beautiful cardinal in the tree?)
• Derived Meanings: The adjective kardinal (lowercase) means “fundamental,” “principal” (e.g., Kardinaltugenden - cardinal virtues, Kardinalfehler - cardinal error, Kardinalzahlen - cardinal numbers). This derives from Latin cardinalis = “important,” “pivotal,” which also gave rise to the name of the church office.

🚨 Confusion is rare, as the context (church vs. nature) is usually clear.

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

Article Mnemonic: Think of the man in red: Der Kardinal (the dignitary) wears red robes. Red is also the color of the male cardinal bird. Use der for the man and the (male) bird.

Meaning Mnemonic: Kardinäle are cardinal (essential) to the church (electing the Pope). Imagine an important red bird sitting on the shoulder of a church Kardinal – this links both meanings and the color red.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

Similar Words (Caution!):

• Kardinal- (as a prefix): e.g., Kardinalzahl (cardinal number), Kardinaltugend (cardinal virtue), Kardinalfehler (cardinal sin/error). Here it acts as a determiner, not an independent noun in the same sense.

😄 A Little Joke

Ein Tourist fragt im Vatikan einen Schweizergardisten: „Entschuldigung, wie wird man eigentlich Kardinal?“
Antwortet der Gardist trocken: „Man fängt klein an – als Papst.“

(A tourist in the Vatican asks a Swiss Guard: "Excuse me, how does one actually become a cardinal?"
The guard replies drily: "You start small – as Pope.")

📜 Poem about the Kardinal

Der Kardinal, in Rot gekleidet,
Im hohen Rat der Kirche weidet.
Er wählt den Papst, ein wichtig Amt,
Sein Wort hat Gewicht, ist anerkannt.

Doch fliegt auch froh, mit rotem Stich,
Ein Vogel, schön und sicherlich
Ein Kardinal durch Wald und Feld,
Ein Farbtupfer in Gottes Welt.

(The Cardinal, dressed in red,
In the high council of the Church is led.
He elects the Pope, an important post,
His word carries weight, valued the most.)

(But also flies gladly, with a touch of red,
A bird, beautiful and certainly bred
A Cardinal through forest and field,
A splash of color in God's world revealed.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich trage Rot, doch bin kein Weihnachtsmann.
Ich sitze hoch im Rat im Vatikan.
Manchmal bin ich auch ein Vogel, wunderschön und klar.
Wer bin ich wohl? Na klar, ...

(I wear red, but I'm not Santa Claus.
I sit high in council in the Vatican's cause.
Sometimes I'm also a bird, beautiful and bright.
Who am I? Of course, ... )

(Solution: der Kardinal)

💡 Other Interesting Facts

Etymology: The word Kardinal comes from the Latin adjective cardinalis, meaning "important," "principal," "pertaining to a hinge." It derives from cardo (hinge, pivot, main point). The cardinals were considered the "hinges" (main supports) of the Church.

Color: The typical red color of the cardinals' attire (cassock, mozetta, biretta) symbolizes their readiness to shed their blood for the faith.

Form of Address: The correct way to address a cardinal in German is „Eminenz“ (Your Eminence).